University:
The University Of Western Ontario
Course:
Biology 2290F | Scientific Method in Biology
Academic year:

2022
Views:

365

Pages:

3
Author:

Kyuwon J.

How do psychologists measure state of consciousness? ● Self-report measures ○ Questionnaires & Scales ■ Altered States of Consciousness (ASC) Questionnaires ● Experience during meditation ■ Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory (PCI) ● Dimensions ○ Attentions ○ Self awareness ○ Imagery ■ Visual Analog Scale (VAS) ● Senses and time distortion ● Rates between the score of 0-100 ○ Interview ■ REM sleep analysis ■ Dissociation interviews ○ It relies on introspection, it is vulnerable to memory, may shift by cultural differences ■ Western Culture ● Meditation is seen as focusing, and stress reduction ● Focuses on individual achievements (improved focus) ● May overlook communal aspects ■ Eastern Culture ● Ego dissolution of meditation ● Universal consciousness ● Deep samadhi, dissociation ● Behavioral measures ○ Attentional task ■ CPT ● Lapes vigilance ● Drowsiness ■ Stroop test ● Cognitive control ● Fatigue drugs ○ Motor Coordination ■ Balance test ■ Reaction time evaluation ○ Memory ■ Recalling accurately ■ During hypnosis ● Physiological Measures ○ Brain activity EEG ■ Beta waves (12-30Hz) ● Wakefulness ● Consciousness ■ Alpha waves (8-12 Hz) ● Relaxed ■ Theta/Delta waves (4-7Hz) ● Sharp sleep ● Unconscious ○ Autonomic Nervous system ■ HRV ● High = meditative calm ● Low - stress ■ GSR ● Able to monitor for anxiety attack ○ Pupillometry ■ Pupil dilation = cognitive effort ● Hallucination ● Clinical Assessments ○ DoC ■ GCS ● Scores eye + verbal + motor response ■ CRS-R ● Detects sign of awareness ● Drug induced states ○ Blood urine test ■ THC ■ Psilocybin ● Neurotransmitter Monitoring ○ PET scanning ■ Tracks for dopamine+serotonin